A police patrol car was attacked yesterday night by two
unidentified persons. Police Commissioner Emin Ipsir was killed
in the attack, and policeman Haci Ahmet Bahceli was seriously
wounded. Although the attackers managed to escape, suspects in
the neighbourhood were arrested by the police.

Another policeman, Murat Kaya, who was badly wounded yesterday in
an attack in Gebze, later died in Kartal State Hospital. The
condition of Mehmet Kartal, also wounded in the same attack,
remains serious. /Cumhuriyet/

The National Security Council convened yesterday in Istanbul to
discuss the future of the Provide Comfort multinational force
stationed in Turkey. After the discussions, the Council issued an
advisory decision, proposing to extend Provide Comfort's period
of stay until December 31. 1996. The Council also proposed to
extend the state of emergency in some eastern provinces of Turkey
until the end of the year. /Cumhuriyet/

The General Council of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA)
ratified eight international agreements yesterday. A foundation
agreement for the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, an
agreement of mutual encouragement and protection of investments,
and a protocol regarding mutual assistance and cooperation
between Turkey and Azerbaijan in customs duties, and an agreement
regarding mutual encouragement and protection of investments
between Turkey and Moldavia, an agreement for the prevention of
double taxation on income and wealth between Turkey and Albania,
an agreement and a protocol for the prevention of double taxation
on income between Turkey and Kazakhstan, an agreement for the
prevention of double taxation on income and wealth between Turkey
and Macedonia, and a protocol between Turkey and Kazakhstan for
the utilization of real property in the Kemer district of Antalya
by Kazakhstan were approved. /Hurriyet/

A draft law regarding an agreement for the mutual encouragement
and protection of investments between Turkey and Israel was
approved by the Plannning and Budgetary Commission of the Turkish
Parliament yesterday. The draft law states: "There are 43 firms
operating with Israeli capital in Turkey. This agreement aims to
increase the flow of Israeli capital to Turkey". /Milliyet/

Foreign Minister Tansu Ciller said Turkey signed a coal-steel
free trade agreement with the European Union (EU) in Brussels on
Thursday.

Ciller told reporters that the agreement was a major step towards
Turkey's integration with Europe as well as for industrial
development.

She also said that after an agreement was reached between the
United Nations and Iraq administration to open the now closed oil
pipeline, preparations for opening the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik
pipeline would be finalized. She added that Kirkuk oil would
likely reach Ceyhan in September. /Cumhuriyet/

Attackers yesterday firebombed a Turkish owned department store
in central Germany and police said thet were investigating the
possibility of a link to similar recent attacks believed to be
the work of left-wing Turks.

A police spokesman said an automatic sprinkler system at the
store in Offenbach put out the fire quickly. No one was injured
and there was little damage, he said. Police said they were
checking whether the attack was linked to a string of similar
firebomb attacks on Turkish properties over the last few days.
Investigators suspect the attacks were carried out by left-wing
Turkish extremists supporting the hunger strikers now protesting
in Turkish prisons. /All Papers/

A sixteen-person Iranian delegation during a visit to Van held a
meeting with Turkish delegation which lasted four hours. After
the meeting the Mayor of Van, Abdulkadir Sari said: "We reached
agreement on cooperation." /Sabah/

Greek Cypriot leader Glafkos Klerides rejected a letter, which
President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Rauf
Denktas sent to him, because there is a TRNC emblem, and "TRNC
President Denktas" is written on the letter. Klerides sent the
letter back to President Denktas through the UN. The letter
proposed holding direct meetings between the two leaders.
/Hurriyet/

Young Turkish sportsmen and women at the Atlanta Olympics, and
students competing in international mathematics and chemistry
competitions have all done well and brought credit and praise to
Turkey.

Education sector officials and top-level representatives from
Turkey's research organization TUBITAK, were full of praise
yesterday for Turkish youths and their success in many areas of
sporting and academic activity. /Hurriyet/

One million 326 thousand tourists passed through Antalya Ataturk
Airport between 1 January - 22 July 1996. Authorities said that
the number was almost 50 percent more than for the same period
last year. /Sabah/